Box and package slitting and opening tool



July 2, 1957 A. R. ERDMAN 2,797,477

BOX AND PACKAGE SLITTING AND OPENING TOOL Filed March 29, 1956 Albert R.Erdman INVENTOR.

United States Patent ()E .7 7.411 BOX AND PACKAGE SLI'ILTING AND OPENINGAlbert R. Erdman, Washington, Kans.

Application March 29, 1956, Serial No. 574,748

1 Claim. (Cl. 30-2) The present invention relates to a hand implement ortool which is characterized by a handle having a specially constructedhead wherein said head is, in turn, constructed to accommodate eithersingle or double edged safety razor blades whereby to thus provide ablade-equipped implement for slitting and otherwise opening cardboardboxes, packages and the like.

Box and package openers which use either new or discarded razor bladesare, obviously, not new. As a matter of fact, the art to which theinvention relates is fairly well developed and this means that there arenumerous instruments and implements which are intended to be similarlyused. It may be added, in this connection, that it is customary toprovide handle means with a receiver and to fit the blade in thereceiver so that an edge portion projects and so that it may be causedto penetrate and rip around marginal edges of top, bottom and side wallsof boxes and the like so that the wall may be removed from the box thusopened. A similarly constructed and performing package opener isdisclosed in the H. Disbrow patent, No. 2,247,290. This is mentionedbecause in applicants construction in addition to holding the blade acorner portion thereof is projectible and retractible to a variabledegree to bring about, it is believed, a more satisfactory penetratingand slitting action.

An obvious object in the instant matter is to structurally, functionallyand otherwise improve upon the Disbrow patent and any other similarpatented or marketed implements using insertible and removable razorblades. In carrying out the instant invention a construction is providedwhich, it is believed, will adequately fulfill the ordinarymanufacturing requirements and economies of manufacturers and will aptlyserve the miscellaneous uses of those who are given to the use of bladedimplements of the class under consideration.

More explicitly, novelty is predicated in the instant disclosure on asubstantially solid cast head which may, of course, be of lightweightaluminum or equivalent metal or, as may often be the situation,commercial plastics of a suitable grade. The head is bifurcated and thefurcations and space therebetween provide a receiving pocket which is atthe desired oblique angle in respect to the lengthwise dimension of thehandle and which serves as a firm and reliable receiver and holder forthe projectible and retractible razor blade.

Novelty is also predicated on the construction stated wherein the edgeor lip portions of the furcations are fashioned into outstandinglaterally disposed flanges, the cooperating surfaces of the flangesserving as guides or guide shoes and being at approximate obtuse anglesin respect to each other.

Other objects, features and advantages will become more readily apparentfrom the following description and the accompanying sheet ofillustrative drawings.

In the drawings, wherein like numerals are employed to designate likeparts throughout the views:

Figure 1 is a perspective view of a tool or implement 2,797,477 PatentedJuly 2,v 1957 constructed in accordance with the principles oftheinvention and showing the same in readiness foruse;

Figure 2 is a view showing a cardboard carton, box or the like andillustrating one manner in which the tool is employed, the portions ofthe tool seen being in section and elevation;

Figure 3 is a fragmentary view which serves to bring out the angularityand construction and position of the cavity or pocket in which the bladeis inserted and held;

Figure 4 is a view in end elevation illustrating how the tool may beemployed to slice through an edge portion of a vertical side wall orpanel of a box to loosen the same from the top of the box; and

Figure 5 is a similar view showing another position or use wherein theguide is resting on top of the box so that the protruding knife may becaused to travel through what may be the junction corner between a sidewall and top of the box or other package.

Referring now to the drawings the head is denoted generally by thenumeral 6 and the handle is denoted at 8. The handle is joined at oneend 10 to a rounded marginal edge portion 12 of the head. In generalside elevation the head appears to be partly circular; or, it may besaid to be somewhat segmental in shape. In any event, the opposed faces14 are preferably flat and the marginal edge portion is rounded. Asbefore stated the head is bifurcated as at 16 in Fig. 1 and defines apair of opposed furcations 18 and 20 and what is more important definesan oblique angled blade receiving and holding pocket 22. One end of thepocket provides a solid abutment wall 24 for one transverse end of theinsertible and removable safety razor blade 26 and one lengthwise Wallof the pocket provides a second abutment 28 with which the usual solidback portion of the blade is in constant contact so that the position ofthe blade is stabilized and the blade is prevented from pivoting andgetting into a dangerous angular position while being used. Onefurcation or side wall as shown in Fig. 2 in particular is formed with aboss 30 which is in turn provided with a screw threaded hole toaccommodate a setscrew 32 the shank of which extends into the pocket andengages the blade and binds it securely in place in said pocket, saidscrew having a suitable finger-grip 34. The furcation 20 is providedwith a right angularly disposed guide flange 36 the flat surface 38 ofwhich provides a guide shoe. A similar flange 40 is provided on theother jaw or furcation and this is denoted at 41 and it has a flat face42 which is preferably corrugated or otherwise milled to provideantislipping elements. The blade is inserted and adjusted in the obviousmanner shown in the drawings. It is also used in several different waysas illustrated in Figs. 2, 4 and 5.

The foregoing is considered as illustrative only of the principles ofthe invention. Further, since numerous modifications and changes willreadily occur to those skilled in the art, it is not desired to limitthe invention to the exact construction and operation shown anddescribed, and accordingly, all suitable modifications and equivalentsmay be resorted to, falling within the scope of the invention asclaimed.

What is claimed as new is as follows:

A box slitting tool comprising a head having a handle, said head beingbifurcated, the furcations being solid and providing a rectangular bladereceiving and retaining pocket between the furcations, said pocket beingwholly closed at one end and substantially open at its opposite end, oneend of the handle being rigidly connected to a margin of the headadjacent to the closed end of said pocket, said pocket being disposed atan oblique angle, in relation to the long axis of said handle, one ofthe furcations being provided with an outstanding right angularlydisposed flange having a flat surface providing a guide shoe, and theother furcation being provided with an oblique angled outstanding flangedisposed at an obtuse angle to said first flange and having a flatcorrugated surface providing an anti-slipping guide shoe, and a setscrewcarried by one of the furcations and having its shank projecting intosaid pocket in a manner to hold the blade 5 in the pocket.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS ArthurJune 21, 1938 Lurie Aug. 23, 1938 Unsinger July 15, 1941 Vinton Dec. 2,1941 Bates May 12, 1942

